As I write this blog the news is on in the background. A half a dozen major companies just announced major layoffs. 7000 folks showed up at the TCC Jobing.com job fair. The job news is dismal. Tucson is not immune. You and I have friends and family who have lost jobs. We can’t just stand by and bemoan the situation. We have to do more.
We have some folks that want to help. They can’t fix the economy or create jobs, but they want to come along side us to help. Jay Langdon of our Tucson Jobs Ministry Life Group, Eric Hahn leading our Business Networking Life Group and Bill Fisher our Pathway Pastor have created the Jobs Seminar that will be held from 9am to 3pm in Towne Hall on Sat. Feb. 7th.
They’ve also gotten Jobing.com to participate and the seminar is being marketed in a variety of ways around Tucson. We want to help our members and the community.
You can see the details and agenda on our web site. Invite others that you know are seeking jobs and want help on how to market themselves, make a career change, and gain practical tools and resources for finding a job. Business owners who have job openings have been invited to connect with potential employees.
From 9 to Noon we’ll have 4 main sessions:
• Personal Branding by Doug Mayes of Jobing.com
• Building a Career of Distinction by Don Escham. Don is a PCC member and life coach.
• Resume Writing, Interviewing and Networking by Jay Langdon. Jay is also a PCC member and HR Consultant.
• Dealing with Unanticipated Change by myself
Lunch will be available for $7 and from 1-3pm we’ll have break-out sessions, some one-on-one coaching, a job fair and exhibit, help on starting a business and financial and government resources.
Join us, invite and bring your friends and family to learn how to navigate this difficult job and economic era of our lives.
Together to make a difference,
Glen
On Tuesday we will experience an historic moment – the swearing in of our first African-American president. I am proud that we are a country that can elect a president of a minority race. I am proud of a country that is beyond doubt the most powerful country and yet able to peacefully transfer political power without violence.
You and I won’t agree with everything this new president stands for or will do. You and I didn’t agree with everything the previous presidents did, regardless of their party affiliation. But this is where my heart is as I ponder the event on Tuesday, January 20th. I sincerely wish President Obama success as he leads our country. While some of us may disagree with some of the new president’s stands, may I remind all of us that no one is helped by any failure on his part. We need a strong president who is wise and succeeds in addressing the challenges of this country and the world. Yes, we speak when we disagree. We vote for those we think will lead us best. That’s the beauty of our freedom. And that freedom allows us to be free to pray – period.
I am committed to pray for President Obama. I invite you to join me also in praying for our new president. I am praying that his declared faith will guide his actions. I pray that he will be true to his desire to be above partisan politics. I pray that he will seek the very best for the American people and the people of the world. I will pray for his family and his advisors. I will pray for his protection spiritually and physically.
It is interesting that in the midst of persecution of believers by the Roman authorities Peter writes: Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king (1 Peter 2:17, NIV). Very wise advice to live by.
Then Paul, one who was no stranger to prison and persecution writes this: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 1-4, NIV).
So let us pray not only for our new president but our anticipated new governor and all elected officials.
Praying to make a difference;
Glen
There’s a lot coming up in the next few weeks like the Cardinals playing in the Super Bowl! No, I mean things going on at PCC. Look what’s happening.
Pantano Community Fair
This Saturday (Jan. 17 from 10am to 2pm) at the E. Tucson campus we are holding our first Pantano Community Fair. It will be a great day to be together to have fun, experience some great concerts and play games. There will be things for the kids and a chili cook off (I’m voting for my wife’s Cincinnati chili). There are some super seminars being offered and many of our life groups will be on campus to let you know what they are about. The main purpose is for us to just be together and discover ways we can join others to make a difference. Get the whole run down by going to our web site for more information. Don’t miss this high energy, fun and informative day.
Leadership Community
Twice a year we invite any and all leaders to join us for a time to find out what’s coming up and discuss new things we’ll be doing over the next 6 months. This is an important time to give all of our leaders up-to-date information. We’ll do this at the Sierra Vista campus this Sunday (Jan. 18 @ 3-5pm) and at the E. Tucson campus next Sunday (Jan. 25 – 3-5pm) in Coop Court. There is child care.
Elder Selection
Our elders are spiritual leaders who guide the direction, vision and mission of Pantano Christian Church. We will be voting for four new elders and affirm five current elders. We’ll have bios on our new elders in the bulletins next weekend and voting will be on January 31st and February 1st during our services.
24/7 Prayer Room
We are hosting a round the clock prayer time at our E. Tucson campus in Modular E starting Feb. 6th. You can sign up at the prayer table on the weekends or better, sign up on our web site for a one hour (or more) time slot. The prayer room will be designed with stations to help you pray about a variety of needs and in a variety of ways. You’ll be very surprised about how fast that hour will go. It is my hope that not only will we give focused prayer to critical needs, but we’ll all learn how to pray better and experience God in a real way. Some life groups are signing up to do this together. Don’t miss this.
Together to make a difference;
Glen
Happy New Year! Most likely the big topic of 2009 will be the economy. We won’t be able to escape the media or the reality of a difficult financial year. I try to read a lot and I came across a quote in my reading but I can’t remember who said it (apologies to the author). It went something like this: God created us to love people and use things, but in a consumer culture we love things and use people.
That nails it. We live in a consumer or materialistic culture. That is our world and we can’t escape it. Everything in media and marketing tries to get us to love and buy things. In fact, our system requires that we consume, spend and buy. What we’ll hear over and over this year is that the government wants to give companies, state and local governments and consumers (that’s what we are now called) money to spend. We’ll hear that consumer spending (and consumer debt) is the key to economic recovery. I disagree.
There is of course good and needed spending. The problem is that we have to fight loving things (and money as the tool to get those things) and learn to love people. It seems that is the summary of Jesus and Paul (see Matthew 22:37-40 and 1 Timothy 6:6-10).
For years we’ve taught these four basic biblical economic principles at PCC. I do my best to live by and model them. I find great freedom and joy living by them. These would make great New Year’s resolutions:
• Be generous. Put God first in generous giving (10% should be a starting point). Then be generous to others – love people not things.
• Be content. Live within your means. Use a budget to insure you spend less than you make.
• Save. Insure you can pay cash for emergencies or big ticket items when you need them, rather than have to borrow.
• Avoid consumer debt. Debt is slavery and limits your ability to be free financially to do what you NEED to do and what you want to do. Make a plan to get out of debt and fight with all your might to stay out.
These four principles are remarkably simple to grasp, but hard to live out. They protect us. They give us great joy and freedom. But you won’t get much encouragement from the media, the government or the economic system to live this way. Let’s be counter-cultural and live the way of God. In a challenging year may we experience God’s blessing and share his blessings with others.
Also we have the Journey to True Financial Freedom this Friday pm and Saturday am. Click here to find out more and register to get some great help in dealing with your money.
Wishing you a blessed New Year,
Glen
